Every year my Irish friend hosts a huge bash in honor of this greenest of holidays and her very-Irish parents. Last year she cooked 15 corned beef roasts, and there wasn’t a speck of leftovers. We aren’t Irish (that I know of. . . yet), so our family ethnic celebration occurs in the Fall, in October to be exact. We host an Oktoberfest. This “divide-and-conquer” plan works pretty well. I’m around to help my Irish friend with her hoolie, and she helps out with ourfest.
In case you are thinking of throwing your own party on March 17, here’s Mary Theresa’s traditional menu and recipe for The Best Corned Beef EVER! Our family contribution is a wicked-good Irish Coffee.
Menu
Spinach Salad
Glazed Corned Beef
Irish Soda Bread
Colcannon
Irish Coffee
Bailey’s Ice Cream Torte
Glazed Corned Beef
1 large corned beef
2 bottles beer of choice
1 cup orange marmalade
4 T Dijon mustard
4 T brown sugar
Place corned beef in slow cooker and add beer. Add boiling water to cover meat. Cover and cook on low 8 hours, or until very tender. OR cook in large pot on stovetop (or in 325 oven) about 3 hours at low simmer. The meat should be firm, not falling apart, but the fork should go in fairly easily. Remove meat from liquid, cool, and trim all fat. Meat may be made ahead to this point.
About one hour before serving, preheat oven to 350. Combine marmalade, mustard, and brown sugar in a small bowl. Place meat in baking dish and pour glaze over meat, coating all sides well. Bake in oven for about 20-30 minutes until glaze is crisp and brown. Slice and serve with colcannon and Irish Soda Bread.
